Dockers at Avonmouth port briefly walked out in solidarity on the day that one of the Unite union bin strikers in toured workplaces
By Arthur Townend
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Friday 25 April 2025
We Demand Change Bristol organising solidarity for the Birmingham bin strike (Picture: Socialist Worker)
Trade unionists in Bristol and Manchester have led the way in building solidarity for the indefinite bin strike in Birmingham.
The Labour council and government have tried to break the strike using the police and scab labour.
Dockers at Avonmouth port briefly walked out and rallied outside the gates on Thursday.
It was a strong show of solidarity on the day that Steeven, one of the Unite union strikers in Birmingham, toured workplaces.
He met with Unite and GMB members at Hinkley power station, and with Unite officials and reps in the union’s regional office.
That meeting also involved refuse workers from Bristol and South Gloucestershire, who were looking to learn from the struggle in Birmingham.
Huw, an activist who organised the solidarity tour, told Socialist Worker, “It’s been an excellent day today. It’s about rewinning the tradition that, when workers are on strike, there’s a wider movement of solidarity behind them.”
In the middle of the day, Steeven attended an online meeting of Camden Unison union local government branch in north London. It has passed a motion that, if Birmingham workers call a mass picket or protest in the city, the branch will send a delegation.
The day finished with a solidarity meeting with trade unionists, students and activists.
Steeven said, “It’s disgraceful that we’ve voted for a Labour government that’s meant to fight for the working class. The council says it’s got no money. But how can it be bankrupt when it’s paying seven commissioners a monthly salary every day?
“How can Labour say it’s got no money in the pot when it’s sending billions to war and Ukraine?”
He added, “Here we have teachers facing a pay cut, universities facing huge job cuts, Labour trying to sell the NHS. We’re all fighting the same fight. We need to get the public on our side, get solidarity between different workers and show the bosses that we can, and will, win.”
Ken, a Unite official at the event, told Socialist Worker, “We always go into these disputes hoping there’s a victory at the end.
“This meeting—and the one earlier today—raising solidarity, building these wider networks—these will absolutely contribute to that victory.”
He added that Labour is looking to “dismantle the public sector”. “When there’s a strike, it’s crucial to attack the major shareholder. When it’s a public sector strike, there’s one major shareholder—the government,” he said.
Another activist pointed out that the scale of disruption shows the importance of refuse workers.
People at the meeting all backed the idea of a solidarity demonstration in Birmingham.
Huw said that “there is potential to organise a big demonstration, which would be a step forwards in terms of strengthening the struggle”.
A Unison member added that it would be “brilliant”. “I feel like that would stimulate a wider movement, bringing in an even wider network of solidarity,” they said.
On Wednesday, Steeven visited workplaces in Manchester. Sue, chair of Greater Manchester Unite Community branch, organised the solidarity work off the back of the We Demand Change summit in London.
Those involved were Unison and Unite members at Salford bins and a Trafford GMB rep who works in cleaning.
Steeven met with mental health workers in Unison, who have been on strike at Manchester NHS trust. And North West PCS brought a solidarity collection.
“First of all, it’s about the basic principle of solidarity between workers when they are in struggle,” Sue told Socialist Worker.
“It’s become bigger than a local dispute because of the intervention of the government to break the dispute using the police.”
As Huw added, “Hopefully it gives Birmingham workers confidence—I think this is a crucial way to build class confidence.
“The dispute being as big as it is, the media isn’t giving them favour. It’s important to show the workers themselves that most people support them and aren’t taken in by the media saying they are being greedy or holding Birmingham to ransom.”
Solidarity in the face of Labour’s attack on Birmingham refuse workers is essential—we need many more tours like in Bristol and Manchester.
The Unite leadership should call a mass picket and demonstration in Birmingham to pile pressure onto the bosses and Labour.